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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bay · race · lash · mug · jam · rush · wave

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mug — a face
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mug — a cup
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — the arms race
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. race — humankind
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com